The Harbinger

The Harbinger was an otherworldly entity from the dark and twisted realm known as the Far Realm, a dimension far beyond the understanding of mortal minds. Its very existence defied the natural order, a creature of unspeakable horror that sought to tear down the veil between dimensions and merge the Far Realm with the Material World of Aranath. It is said that the Harbinger's ultimate goal was to plunge Aranath into chaos, ruling over it as a conduit for the Far Realm’s twisted energies and cosmic horrors.
Physical Appearance
The Harbinger’s form is maddening to behold. To most mortals, merely glimpsing this creature would drive them to madness, as its shape shifts and distorts, defying the laws of reality. However, those who could focus long enough and survive the mental strain would describe the Harbinger as an enormous and grotesque amalgamation of deep-sea creatures. Its appearance bore similarities to a colossal eel combined with elements of an anglerfish, with sharp, predatory features and an aura of pure malevolence.
The Harbinger's body was long, serpentine, and covered in tendrils that writhed with an unnatural, hypnotic rhythm. Large tentacles, slick and pulsing with dark energy, would extend from its form, seeking to corrupt and ensnare any unfortunate enough to cross its path. An immense, single eye dominated its head, glowing with a malevolent light that seemed to pierce through time and space. This eye was both a source of its power and the embodiment of its will. Above its mouth, a glowing lure, like that of an anglerfish, dangled menacingly, as if it were mocking those it sought to entrap.
The Harbinger’s form was always partially obscured by an ethereal haze of shadows and cosmic energy, which swirled and shifted around it like a storm. Its appearance was accompanied by a constant, nauseating sound—a mix of churning waters, crackling energy, and distant screams from otherworldly creatures that seemed to echo through time and space.
The Harbinger's Influence
The Harbinger's primary goal was to bring the Far Realm, a dimension filled with nightmarish entities and incomprehensible horrors, into the world of Aranath. Its presence warped reality, bending time and space in ways that mortal minds could scarcely understand. The Far Realm was a place where the laws of physics and logic did not apply, and the Harbinger sought to remake Aranath in that chaotic and destructive image.
The Harbinger was a commander of legions of cosmic horrors, creatures born of madness and chaos, whose very presence threatened to unravel the fabric of the Material Plane. These beings followed the Harbinger’s will, spreading terror and destruction wherever they appeared. Under the Harbinger’s control, these horrors served as harbingers of doom, heralding the coming of their master.
Corruption and Cultists
The Harbinger's influence was not limited to cosmic horrors. It was a manipulator, a deceiver who sought to corrupt the hearts and minds of mortals, twisting them into servants of its dark cause. Many mortals fell under the sway of the Harbinger, either through promises of power or by succumbing to the whispers of madness it sent into their minds.
One such mortal was the notorious figure known as The Corsair. A pirate lord of unmatched infamy, The Corsair  was seduced by the Harbinger’s promise of unimaginable power and control over the seas. With the Harbinger’s backing, The Corsair became an unstoppable force, spreading terror across the seas of Aranath. The Harbinger’s gifts granted The Corsair dark magic and the ability to control his ship, the Whydah, with a supernatural force, making him one of the Harbinger’s most powerful agents.
Throughout Aranath, cults dedicated to the Harbinger sprang up in the darkest corners of society. These cultists worked in secret to further the Harbinger’s plans, performing rituals to open portals to the Far Realm and summoning cosmic horrors to do their bidding. They worshipped the Harbinger as a god, believing that when the Far Realm and the Material Plane merged, they would be granted power and dominion over the shattered remnants of the world.
The Harbinger’s Defeat
For years, the Harbinger's influence spread like a dark plague, threatening the very existence of Aranath. Entire cities fell to the cosmic horrors under its command, and many feared that the end of the world was near. However, the Harbinger’s plans were ultimately thwarted by a group of unlikely heroes who came together to challenge its reign of terror.
This group of adventurers— Rolando , a cunning rogue; Glim Timbers , a powerful mage; Hiko , a fearless warrior; Toryn Fireforge , a divine cleric; and Knud Knudsson , the famed paladin of Caelum—stood against the Harbinger and its forces in a series of battles that pushed them to the very brink of their abilities. Each adventurer had their own reasons for fighting, but together they formed a bond that allowed them to resist the Harbinger's corrupting influence.
The final battle against the Harbinger took place in the Far Realm, where the laws of reality itself were distorted. There, the adventurers faced not only the Harbinger but also its cosmic horrors and twisted cultists. It was a battle of both physical might and mental fortitude, as the Harbinger assaulted their minds with visions of madness and despair.
Despite the overwhelming odds, the adventurers persevered. With their combined strength and the support of powerful allies, they managed to sever the connection between the Harbinger and the Material Plane. In a moment of weakness, the Harbinger’s true form was revealed, and they struck a decisive blow that banished the creature back to the Far Realm, ending its threat to Aranath.
Legacy
Though the Harbinger was defeated, its influence still lingers in the shadows of Aranath. Many of its cultists remain, operating in secret and seeking ways to bring their dark master back to life and to the Material Plane. The cosmic horrors it unleashed upon the world continue to roam, remnants of the Harbinger's war against reality itself.
The adventurers who defeated the Harbinger are hailed as heroes, their deeds becoming legend. However, some fear that the Harbinger’s defeat was only temporary and that one day, it may return to finish what it started. The world remains vigilant, ever watchful for signs that the veil between the Far Realm and the Material World is thinning once more.
In the minds of those who still hear its whispers, the Harbinger is not truly gone. Its presence, however distant, continues to sow fear and chaos among those who seek power beyond the mortal realm.